Witty Facades
by Pheonie
Summary: AU. Pssh. Itachi can't be the only genius. Fewer people know of the genius hiding among the streets of Konoha, hiding under the hat of a ramen chef- she's not just anyone, she's Itachi's resigned ex-teamate, Ayame.
1. Memories

**Hey everyone. I'm gonna break that freakin' glass ceiling called original stories and just let my thoughts run their course. This story isn't your typical pairing, so don't bitch about it.**

**On another note, I'll do my absolute best to NOT make this Mary Sue-ish. Yes, I'm gonna make Ayame a genius but hey, will Itachi care for less? **

**Summary: Pssh. Itachi can't be the only genius. Fewer people know of the genius hiding among the streets of Konoha, hiding under the hat of a ramen chef- she's not just anyone, she's Itachi's resigned ex-teamate, Ayame**

**Now, for that disclaimer: NO I don't own Naruto. (makes me cry every time I say that, sniff, JK) **

**NOW onto the story… (which will obviously NOT follow that traditional plot)**

**-x-x-x-**

**Witty**by: **iCream**

**Chapter One: Genius to Ramen Chef?**

Ayame stifled a giggle when Sakura angrily related just how Naruto had tripped straight into a daimyo on their last mission. He had apparently been walking just fine toward the daimyo when he had suddenly turned around to say something. Of course, when he turned _back _around, it was a wee bit different. His head had _slammed _into the daimyo's, knocked out his precious gold filling, _and_ his arms had spun around wildly to slap the poor daimyo on both cheeks. Impressive in its own odd way. Needless to say, the mission couldn't have been more awkward, especially since the three jonin couldn't help but deny their ninja instincts and stare at the black hole which used to be the golden filling. Oh, and don't even get them started on the double handprints.

Mission failure.

Ayama gave one last giggle and shot Naruto an affectionate look before heaving a sigh. It was moments like this that allowed Ayame to temporarily forget some things. Luckily, her wandering mind was already captured before the more painful moments caught up to her.

Across the red pained counter, Naruto had started bawling, trying in vain to retrieve a piece of naruto that Sasuke had stolen from him.

"Sasuke you _bastard,_ give it back!" Fake tears slid down his face like a broken water fountain.

Awww. How cute.

With another dull pang, she remembered her own admittedly short time as a ninja.

She tried to rein in the memories, but then let them overtake her. They were strong.

A surge of detestation overwhelmed her for a moment. Her teammates were no other than copy-ninja Kakashi and infamous S-ranked missing-nin, Uchiha Itachi. Kakashi hadn't originally been in her team. It was only after his own team had been killed. And after that, it wasn't long before Itachi left and she resigned. She had never thought that her own teammate would turn out so wrong. It was the kind of thing you heard in stories, never in one's own life.

She chuckled darkly. They had been the genin team of genii. How proud they were! But fat lot of good it was. Each one of them had been a genius in their own right. Each of them far surpassed the expectations they had been given, _very nearly breaking the limits of humanity._ What the hell was she talking about-Itachi had already broken those as well.

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Just look at how the three brightest genin of the _century_ ended up. A murdering psychopath, a lazy pervert, and a lowly ramen chef.

Ayame was feeling particularly cynical today.

But at that time, they were just kids as well. They had always fought over food too. Who would get that disgusting last ration bar… who would take them out for ramen… the list went on. For a while-_a very short while-_, they had been innocent.

Sweet times.

Bah. Yet ending with nothing but emptiness.

She studied the three jonin. Naruto had grown, no longer the little boy who would come for ramen to raise his spirits. His wide, broken, but entirely too hopeful smile had transformed into a confident smirk that would leave more than one girl swooning in their seats. They were a pain to kick out. Sakura had also matured, and being the Godaime's apprentice had done wonders to her mentality. Ayame remembered the irritating, know-it-all _brat_ that had come for ramen years earlier. Good thing time changed people. Ayame froze, wishing she didn't just let that last thought come to mind. _Yes, _time changed people, and often times not for the better. Her eyes drifted to the crook of her elbow, where her rolled up sleeves didn't quite manage to hid the thick, white roped scar before she forcefully tore them away to focus on Sasuke.

_Sasuke_.

He didn't remember her, that was for certain. He was just three or four when Itachi had invited her to the Uchiha Compound. Kids like him didn't remember every person they saw. He had grown in more than mere skill. His face, had become leaner and more rugged, no longer pale and smooth from a pampered life. His personality was drawn out by Naruto's as well, actually able to appreciate some time out with his friends. If she didn't know better, she'd think he was the younger form of...

Crash! Shards of porcelain pattered on the wooden floor as in a moment of weakness, her fingers slipped.

Her eyes were glazed. She couldn't help it. Images of times long gone raced across her mind. He looked just like Itachi did some years ago. Calm, serious, but a protective fire glinting in his eyes. The kind of intense gaze that was _just like Itachi's_. The kind of fire that Itachi's eyes always had until that last time she saw him. It had the same sincerity, same shocking power, same... tranquility. Uchiha Sasuke looked at peace. Looking utterly satisfied with his lot in life. Looked like HIM in his least guarded, most secret moment. Ayame shook herself, as she quickly swept up the mess while also ignoring the trio's questioning glance.

Damn memories.

**---^_^---**

**{Okay, yes that was short. I'm fully aware. I just want to get this out as a prologue to see what kind of feedback it was going to get. **

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW, **

**And by all means, FLAME FLAME FLAME. – I don't mind. (I absolutely dislike[not hate, mind you] the pansies who are afraid of flames. Be a freaking writer and suck it up. (Damn. I sound so insensitive. Oh well, back to my rant…) NO ONE can get by without criticism. I don't care if its mean, I don't care if you're being stupid, I don't care if its uncalled for, I don't care if it has no point, I don't care if it's freaking unreasonable. I DON'T CARE. We all need to get real, cause you know what? This is life. **_**Constructive Criticism**_** is just a pretty euphemism for **_**flame.**_** Simply someone who is willing to sacrifice their time to **_**spell out**_** every thing for the author is a nice person. Someone who flames **_**also **_**took some time to say a little something, abit more short and straightforward in a mean way. **

**So now, F&R**

**Flame & Review. **

**(heehee. I bet I sounded real bitchy and cynical that last paragraph. (but still take me seriously, I don't get bothered by flames.) Woohoo, go me.)[yes, I'm aware I'm slightly insane and rather bipolar, but really . It takes too much energy to be mean]**

**Rock on dudes!}**

**(this was copy pasted from death note.)**


	2. Flashbacks

Ahh, whats up? I know there were lots of doubts concerning Kakashi's age and the plausibility of him being on the team. _I know. _But I thought for a long time about it, and I concluded that I despise creating OC's. Kakashi really was the only one that seemed reasonable among the jonin. Plus, I wanted the last person to be a GUY. Just so I can continue that ratio of 2:1. Guy to girl team ratio thing. I mentioned in the last chapter that he was only on the team for a _really _short while (let's just say two months) which was long enough to build friendships. Then of course, the team disbanded after Itachi left and Ayame quit. Also, I also hate doing this, but I have to tweak the 'team'. Let's just say that they were so awesome that in those two months, they all got to ANBU. This way, Itachi is the right rank to kill off his clan) I'm gonna leave the rest in mystery so you can read it. XD Bear with me.

**Witty**

**Chapter Two: Flashbacks **

Ayame was over it. She was sure she was. So what if Itachi threw away their friendship and _massacred_ his own family, hmm? So what if Kakashi turned into a first class laze and lost every shred of manly dignity by reading that perverted book of his?

It was done, it was the past. There wasn't really any more point in wallowing in pity was there?_ Nope. _Nada. Ayame had constructed a new life for herself. _A nice one. _Although boring and without accomplishment. One that didn't involve said psychopath and exasperating pervert. One that had about as much violence as a slim butter knife would allow.

Nonetheless, her fingers shook as they carefully fingered the dull blade. Memories of a different knife, a kunai, lustrous with many hours of naïve polishing seemed to appear before her very eyes. Irritated at the recent bouts of irrepressible memories, Ayame dropped the knife into the sink with a frustrated clatter. Cutting veggies could be done later.

"Ayame-chan?" Her father's concerned voice rang from his position behind the counter. That was another thing that Ayame couldn't bear. Her father thought her mentally disabled, mentally _scarred_, from her times of a ninja. Then again, maybe she was.

But she only grit her teeth and ground out her "I'm fine". And she was. At least, she told herself that. Smiling so brightly it was almost obvious it was fake, she turned calmly on her heel, hung up her apron, let her russet locks loose from their tie, and strode out the stand.

A walk. She needed a walk.

--

It was a nice day out. One of those days that would warrant the Nara's full attention. The lazy clouds rolled slowly across that expanse of blue, looking nothing more than happy, frolicking bunnies.

She slowly meandered along the pedestrian road, taking the way deeper into the country instead of into the bustling city life. With her hands stuffed in the pockets of her pants, she slowly allowed her tense muscles to relax.

The memories that had been bothering her so much after the recent encounter with the second Uchiha were blissfully quiet. The path in front of her winded a bit, and before she knew it, found herself upon the half-forgotten K.I.A. stone.

She paused, almost cursing herself for forgetting such a monumental place.

-_Flashback- _

"_K.I.A, huh?" A small brunette smiled confidently. "Sounds pretty sweet. Best way to go, I say. Fighting for Konoha! Yeah!" The girl pumped her small, delicate fist enthusiastically, and then turned to her companions. "Isn't it?"_

"_Hardly." A boy, just a little taller than her, snorted. "I'd rather not die at all. Besides, it's not as if anyone could kill me." _

_The girl, Ayama, scoffed at him. "As if!"_

_The other boy, towering above them both due to his mountain of silvery hair and slightly elder age, merely shrugged. However, both of them soon noticed the slightly shaky breath that he took._

_The brunette frowned, concern crossing her features. "Yo, Hatake, you okay?" She took a seat next to him in the dry grass. _

"_Fine." Was the sharp reply. _

_Confused, yet not wanting to pry, the young girl just nodded. _

_After all, a ninja had other ways instead of prying. _

_-end-_

Ayame took a breath. She remembered the horror when she learned of Kakashi's story. It hadn't exactly shaken her to the core, for such stories were commonplace, but it most certainly had helped her decision to quit later on. She didn't want the gore. The bloody glory wasn't for her to take.

She knelt in front of the famed stone, her stomach twisting slightly at the sheer number of names etched upon the ancient rock. All of them were dead to protect a common goal, and that fact sent a small, hateful shiver through her body. Violence was so utterly pointless.

Her eyes scanned the scraggly writing. _Uchiha Obito. _

How very _influential _the Uchiha were. Even in death, and even in exile.

"Yo."

The slight syllable was enough to startle her. Whipping her head around, her eyes rested upon Kakashi slouching with his hands casually placed in his pockets.

"Hello, Kakashi." She replied hurriedly while standing up and brushing the yellowed grass off. It was decidedly awkward, she decided, to meet someone that brought nothing but sour memories.

He inclined his head toward the stone. "Someone you know on there?" The question, rather insensitive, was said in that dull, droning voice.

Her lip twisted. "No." she said curtly. She didn't know what to say. _Correction_, there was _nothing _to say. Both were now delving into those memorable early days, yet none dared to bring it up. It was taboo.

Over the years, she had very limited contact with the remaining member of her former team. They had split, she determined to bury her betrayed past, and he determined to continue the path that he had started. And so, here they were now, in very different positions: Him, as one of the most well-known ninjas to mark Konoha's history, and her, hardly a character worth knowing.

He had done his best to avoid her, and she him. There was once, however, where their contact was inevitable. His team, determined to prank him into showing his face, forced the Jonin to her ramen stand. Deciding to humor the teenagers, she had played along, pretending to be awed by the face that she had seen years ago.

"How go the missions?" she asked politely.

He seemed to squint at her. "Walk with me, Ayame."

--

Ayame wanted to writhe with embarrassment. The ninja seemed to have _no conception _of worldly small talk. After Kakashi had ever so casually invited her on the walk, he had not opened his mouth, not even once.

Ayame, in truth, had no idea the purpose Kakashi had planned up his sleeve. From the small tidbits of memories that she still remembered with varying degrees of clarity, Kakashi had always moved forward, always planning, always with some sort of ulterior motive. His genius, in the form of lazy contemplation, was rare to see.

Her own genius had always been simplicity. She came from a family of ramen chefs, hardly famous like Itachi's Uchiha clan or Kakashi's legacy from the White Fang, and yet, her fleet movements and control over her own strength placed her high above those with fancy family jutsus. Just a genius born into the wrong clan.

Looking back on it now, however, Ayame decided it was her comparatively normal childhood that preserved her essence of humanity. The Uchiha and Kakashi were born directly into the world of fighting.

"Asuma died recently." Kakashi finally said. He had stopped walking, his head slightly bowed but voice bland.

Ayame's head shot up, her eyes widening. She remembered the spiky-fisted ninja from the academy days. "Asuma?" her voice wavered a little, as if close to cracking. Kurenai would be devastated.

Kakashi only nodded.

Ayame rubbed her arms, warding off the sudden chill. "I really hate bloodshed. I really do."

"Don't all of us?"

"Apparently not enough to leave it."

Kakashi began walking again, having no real answer to give. She followed.

"Ayame, we need you right now." He spoke up rather suddenly.

She froze. "For what?"

He turned to face her fully. "We don't have enough jonin. Not enough to be as formidable of a force was we used to be." _Ahh. So that's what this was all about._

She shook her head firmly. "No."

"Come on. I know you haven't trained in many years, but you were good, _very_ good the time that you were."

"No."

Kakashi looked vaguely unsettled. "Not even for the well-being of Konoha?"

"Not even for that."

--

"Kyaaaa!" The sound that was unmistakably Maito Gai's voice rang with alarming sharpness.

Both Kakashi and Ayame whipped their heads to the noise, they eyes narrowed in similar contemplation.

"You horrible, most _unyouthful_ Akatsuki! How _dare_ you come back into this village!"

With a gasp, and only a moment's hesitation, both of them sprinted toward Gai's voice.

She and Kakashi came upon Gai single handedly fighting two members of Akatsuki. Kakashi lunged into action, but Ayame stayed put, held in place by the vow she had made a long time ago.

Upon seeing her, one of the members stilled his movements, and lifted the straw hat that covered the top part of his face.

Ayame felt like she had just swallowed a cold rock.

It only took one square look into his eyes before Ayame felt herself crumbling. Those eyes were indifferent, cold, and whizzing with intelligence. There was just such an aura of _calculation_ that made his beautiful crimson eyes reveal their wickedness. The crimson color made her knees weaken and her hands to shake. His face, however, sent her mind reeling. Handsome as ever, he looked barely changed from the times when he was her trusted comrade.

The utter _familiarity _of his stance made her head wince and spin. More and more memories swirled into her mind, played in fast forward mode, then continued into another scene.

Those eyes continued to appraise her, flashing from a couple centimeters above the rim of his dark cloak.

Mysterious. Cold. _Powerful._

Itachi's aura betrayed nothing else.

And as she looked further, the twin pools of blood brought her into another time.

_-flashback-_

_Ayame hummed happily as she skipped down the street. In her hand, she expertly twirled her favorite kunai, every now and then tossing it high into the air and catching it with equal ease. _

_Smiling and pleased with herself, she couldn't wait to tell Itachi the news. Giggling to herself, she felt very satisfied as she recalled the feeling of being told that her team passed into ANBU. Oh yeah, bring on the masks! In her opinion, the ANBU test had been ridiculously easy, another triumph to add to the pristine records of Konoha's prodigy team. _

_Her euphoric mood was shattered the second she pushed open the wooden gates to the Uchiha compound. _

_Bodies, mangled and slaughtered_

_Horrific expressions plastered on their faces_

_Twitching, spastic movements as some writhed on the throes of death_

_Blood_

_Blood blood blood _

_She sank to the ground as the rotting stench crept up her nose. The reeking smell of blood burned her eyes and forced out the tears. Her fingers became stained with blood as they desperately tried to clench the grass. _

_Itachi!_

_Her body lunged forward slightly, urging her to find Itachi- to make sure he was still alive. She looked up, eyes darting everywhere in attempt to glimpse the dark-haired genius. But almost instantly, her vision seemed blotted out. All she could see was the color red, pushing toward her in a huge tidal wave of hostility. The blood from the body beside her seeped into the ground, rolling along the ground toward her like fingers reaching for her soul. Blood colored the ground red and they seemed to be stretching toward her, determined to engulf her into their redness. _

_She squeezed her eyes shut, but it was no use. Red painted her world. _

_Staggering onto her feet in an enormous feat of mental strength, she leapt forward, straight into the seas of bloody red. _

_She had to find Itachi. He would most definitely hunt down whoever did this. She stumbled in house after house, becoming more and more bloodied as she tripped over the bodies and flipped over those who looked like Itachi. _

_She found Itachi after hearing a scream from his house. Rushing into the doorway, she was hardly prepared to see the sight that she did. A long ANBU sword, very new according to the price tag that still stuck to its hilt, was slowly being pulled out of Uchiha Fugaku's body with a sickening 'scweech'. Holding the sword was no other than Itachi, his spinning red eyes the same shade as the blood that spotted his blade. _

_From that minute on, the color red meant death. _

"_Itachi!" she shrieked, gripping her kunai so hard her knuckles stuck out like odd little bundles of bone. She lurched forward, her eyes misted from tears. _

_Itachi turned, and the frightening change that had overcome him overnight was there. Just yesterday, his soft black eyes had smiled at her, telling her the ANBU test would be easily aced. And now, his eyes were that damned crimson, with black splotches dancing in circles. For a second, his eyes seemed to widen, and his stance grow rigid with horror. But soon, he relaxed, and his eyes once again took on that murderous sheen. _

"_Ayame. I didn't expect you so quickly." His voice was that deep baritone. _

"_I'm surprised you expected me at all." Her voice cracked, her heart and mind broken. "Why did you do such a thing?" Tears now freely left her eyes, like rain from reluctant clouds. _

_He cocked her head to the side, his eyes never once leaving her own teary ones. "Power." _

_She then felt her anger solidifying. "Power? You've got enough damn power!" _

_He hefted his sword, and took a couple steps in her direction. "There's never enough power." _

_She just shook her head, not able to respond to his reasoning. Itachi took more steps in her direction. "Ayame… you wouldn't understand this." There was only the slightest bit of traceable pleading in his voice. "Konoha isn't enough for us. Come with me. You have more potential than what you have now." _

"_No!" Her voice regained its strength. "Never, you fucking bastard! Wanting more power than is really right for a human is… is fucking wrong! Wrong wrong wrong!" She flung her kunai at him, watching angrily as it bounced off his sword. "I'll take you down today. You fucking murderer."_

_His eyes glinted appreciatively at her determined gaze. "Then let's fight one last time, Ayame." _

_The resulting whirl of steel and strength would leave any bystander breathless with admiration. Ayame, her form gracefully flipping back and forth, would have looked utterly stunning had not been for the trail of sparkling tears that sailed through the air in her wake. Itachi, his long katana elegantly flashing light around the room, looked calm and proficient. It looked as if they could have fought forever. _

_Ayame, however, was fast tiring from the high speed fight. Very rarely did she have to fight someone as prodigious has Itachi, and her endurance was expiring. _

_Itachi pressed it to his advantage, forcing her further and further toward the back of the room until finally the fight stilled. Ayame was backed into the wall, Itachi's hand pinning her neck, and the shiny point of Itachi's katana pointed between her eyes. _

_He leaned forward, triumphant. "You see? Power can do all sorts of things. Even steal from you… this." He leaned in, and pressed his lips against her own, making her very aware of her own helplessness. But it was over in a flash, leaving her momentarily dazed. "Do you feel it, now? That need for power?" _

_With a vicious pull, Ayame freed herself. Mumbling a jutsu and rapidly going through the hand seals, she set the house aflame._

"_You better leave now." Ayame said. She knew there was no way for her to win. Itachi's strength at the moment, even without ninjutsu, genjutsu, or bloodlines was far superior to her own. She felt her loss acutely, but she wanted him gone. From across the wall of roaring flames, only her outline could be seen. "I never want to see you again." _

_Itachi opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, a piece of blazing roof fell down not inches from where he was standing, sending sparks and fiery tendrils scorching the area. He paused, but taking one last look at Ayame, he made up his mind, and was gone. _

_Suddenly alone, Ayame was aware of the creaking and groaning noises of the burning foundations. _

_She escaped, narrowly, but as she left the collapsing house, she vowed to never take up another kunai again. _

'_Itachi, I'll prove that power doesn't matter. It's nothing but the bringer of violence.'_

_From that minute on, Ayame would disappear from the ranks of the newly appointed ANBU, swearing that she would never implicit harm upon another for as long as she lived. _

_-end- _

Slowly coming back to reality, it only took her a moment to reach her bearings before she turned on her heel and fled.

**YAY! Now, F&R! its only cause of reviews that I got this one out…**


	3. Threaten

**Soooo yeeeah. Here is chapter three. I'm telling you, it is HARD to come up with good plot. Everything that **_**I**_** come up with usually comes out either cliché or just plain **_**weird.**_** I think I need to build up on some background and stuff like that. Romance will come just a bit later. **

**Oh, and forgive the spelling errors on the last chap. Pweease. **

**Btw: I'll change the title. Witty looked really short. Short and rather awkward. Witty Facades seem to ring better. **

**Disclaimer: No. Do you even need to ask? No. **

**-x-x-x-**

**Witty Facades**by:**iCream**

**Chapter Three: Threaten **

'Shiiiiiiiiit. Shiiiiiiiiiiiit.' Ayame's only thought rumbled again and again from within the confines of her mind. She drew what she could from her chakra stores, but since she never trained, they were inadequate and hardly enough to sustain her running.

Itachi's face appeared again and again in her mind. She gritted her teeth as she recalled those blasted red eyes. They had changed, so utterly emotionless that if it weren't for the rest of his body, she would have thought he was another person. She pumped her legs harder, trying desperately to create distance.

She couldn't deal with this. Itachi was a traitor and the biggest bastard she had ever met. All she wanted was to categorize the memories of him and just… _forget._ Blissful ignorance. Unhappily for her, however, Itachi had no qualms about ruining her pleasant process of slowly forgetting.

_Shiiing! _

A metal kunai ripped through the air and a couple strands of her chocolate colored hair. Fear sliced her heart at the same time as she continued running.

It was futile, she knew. Itachi had always been faster than her. She squeezed her eyes shut and rushed blindly forward, willing her long-forgotten genius to produce a solution. One came to her, although riddled with risk and nearly pointless without her ninja skill.

She stopped running.

_Shiing!_

A second kunai flashed through the space and landed right at the area where she would have been had she not stopped running. Heart in her throat and breathing heavily, she breathed deeply and turned around to face her past. Itachi stood behind her, hardly ruffled in comparison to her sweaty, tired figure.

"Hello, Itachi."

She kept her gaze away from his eyes though, settling instead at his throat, imagining that a kunai would appear in her hand and she could throw it.

"You've gotten weaker." The velvety voice's tone was very mild.

Anger surged through her. "Bastard."

He cocked his head to the side. "How foolish you are." He seemed to snort slightly; bangs ruffed by the puff of air. "I came to see how far my dear teammate improved. Clearly, you didn't even come close to my expectations. How disappointing."

Red in the face, Ayame wanted to break her vow right there and then and just _hit_ him. "Well, so sorry, but I quit." She forced herself to be as cool as possible.

He seemed only slightly surprised. He smirked suddenly, and Ayame was struck with the notion that Itachi was, indeed, _very _handsome. Devilishly so.

"Even Kakashi pulled through." He gestured behind him, where Kakashi and Gai were being nearly overwhelmed by a group of water clones. "Or did my betrayal cut just a bit too deep?" His voice was slightly mocking.

A wave of hurt crossed Ayame's face, but she quickly suppressed it. It was true. She had been so utterly devastated when Itachi massacred his clan. "I don't care anymore. Fighting is for monsters." She turned around, wishing she could just teleport away. But of course, Itachi never let a matter rest until he won it.

"Oh?" even with her back turned to him; she could imagine the crimson eyes glinting. "If you won't fight, I'll make you." There was a promise in that deadpan voice. "Because you forget who you're talking to."

Itachi watched her, his flickering emotions kept at bay through his stoic expression. Years had passed since he last saw her. Over these said years, he had constantly expected her and Kakashi's name to appear in the Bingo Books. Kakashi, as predicted came up before long, dubbing him the now infamous Copy Ninja, but Ayame never showed up. Looking at her now, she seemed fragile somehow. Her face and body were always uncommonly pretty, but now they seemed pristinely delicate and thin-glass beautiful. However, that confident, laughing aura was missing, making her seem almost limp and defeated. Her pretty brown eyes, once so full of life, only sparkled with fear or regret.

Itachi's curiosity rose, wondering what on Earth happened to his once-powerful teammate. He had been so utterly shocked when she crumbled and ran away when he merely locked eyes with her.

He had immediately shot Kisame a silent order and raced after her, wanting, no, _needing_ to know what happened.

Not that he cared, he assured himself. Power trumped this thing called 'care'.

And so, he began to taunt.

Ayame grit her teeth. What. The. Hell. All she wanted was to be left alone. Itachi had advanced on her, seemingly trying to provoke her into fighting.

No chance.

He walked closer, casually. A single kunai, was twirled round and round his finger. His glittering red eyes staring her down… Ayame looked back, straight into those eyes, as if just daring Itachi to just get it all over with and use the infamous Sharingon.

"It's no fun if you don't fight, Ayame." Itachi said. He was closer now, invading into her space. One more step and their chests would collide…

Ayame finally took that step backward, letting her bangs cover her eyes. "Just tell me what you want, Itachi." Her voice was resigned and quiet.

Itachi studied her, taking the way her small frame seemed to hunch. "I already told you what I want, but I suppose I won't get that fight." He continued appraising her, noting how she seemed to just fall apart. "Where did all your strength go?"

Ayame jerked her head up at this, a small flare of her former defiance resurfacing. "I don't need that strength." She hissed with as much venom as she could muster. "I wouldn't be able to live with it. Certainly not like _you _do." Her small fist clenched and unclenched.

"And pray tell, what's wrong with this power?" His cold eyes were slightly narrowed and fierce.

Ayame suddenly felt the urge to grin. She took the steps back, walking forward until she was nearly pressed up against him. Her hand took hold of his, taking care to avoid the kunai. She looked him in the eye. "Take that kunai and kill me, then tell the whole world there was nothing wrong with that kind of power."

He seemed unaffected, in not a little amused at their situation. "There's a rather big difference between you just giving up your life and me taking it."

"Is there really? Would I give up my life if you didn't have the power to command that? We all know to what lengths the Sharingon can go to kill." She stared hard into the red orbs. "Making the victim fall asleep, subjecting them to torture for two days, messing with the mind through imitation-all these things might as well shatter the mind and make death something less to fear."

His eyes looked just as intense. "Are you afraid I'll do that to you?"

Her eyes suddenly turned victorious. The hand clutching Itachi's swiped the kunai, and instead of hitting either herself or Itachi, threw it with all her strength in the direction of the village. "No."

Watching the kunai travel through the air, Itachi seemed bemused. "And what good will that do?"

She grinned, her eyes lighting up with satisfaction. "Plenty."

**-x-x-x-x-**

**Yeeeeah. That was short again. But I had some major writer's block and when I actually managed to write something down, I'm rather eager to go ahead to upload it. **

**:) F&R **


	4. Truth?

**You guys wanna hear the truth of why I stopped writing? Its every writer's nightmare. **_**Lost data.**_** Sometimes, there's just no recovering from it. You had written something that you liked, and then, zppshh, its all gone. For me, the utter frustration and **_**sadness**_** at losing drafts just put me off writing. Anyway. I had some time and fished around in my memory for some plot. I wrote this down, and I'll let you guys be the judge? **

**Disclaimer:… seriously? **

**-x-x-x-**

**Witty Facades **By: **iCream**

**Chapter 4: Truth?**

Ayame smiled. Then waited. The kunai, moving rather slowly due to the lack of power behind the throw, soared in a beautiful parabola that looked absolutely ridiculous coming from the hand of a ninja. Both Itachi and Ayame watched the kunai dip in the air and fall with a dull _tink_ in the ground, pointing face down.

Itachi's blank face shifted, changing into a more alert and steady disposition.

Ayame, waiting for the Itachi's attention to shift, turned tail and began running for her life. Forget all dignity, but distance was of the essence. Tossing a fleeting look behind her back, all she caught sight of was Itachi's face. It was predatory.

The exploding tag, dropped into the forest floor while she had been running, usually just needed a good hand signal to activate. In her situation, however, that was not the case. Not having the time to input her chakra into the tag, Ayame counted on getting some sort of projectile to cut the cord that would automatically force an explosion. The tag, wriggling feebly from beneath the kunai suddenly stilled.

Boom.

It wasn't as impressive as Ayame had hoped, but then again, those tags were just a little bit old. All it did was lift her off her feet and throw her roughly five feet. Scrambling back onto her feet and disregarding the flimsy woodchips flying everywhere, she launched herself deeper into the forest, counting on masking her chakra and the forest's natural shelter to guard her a little more from Itachi. Her plan was simple enough. Stall long enough for Kakashi and Gai to come to her rescue. Strong as Kisame was, Ayame didn't think that he would be able to take on both Konoha nins.

However, if she thought that the blast would have done more that disorient Itachi for even a second, she was sadly mistaken. Itachi was already on the move, flashing up in the trees long before the tag had detonated. The resulting debris and smoke had been her saving grace, and he lost sight of her chakra-less state.

For a moment, just a single moment, Ayame felt an emotion she never thought she'd feel again. Thrill. Sure, it was a pretty scary thrill, but it made her feel more alive than she had in years. Her senses worked overtime, sharpening into almost painful clarity. Time slowed a little, or maybe she was just moving faster. She didn't know anymore, and she didn't care. All that mattered was getting away, anything was better than facing such a dangerous factor from her past. It made her remember. _He_ made her dig up old feelings and old emotions really best forgotten.

From the corner of her eye, she caught a flitting shadow. She narrowed her eyes. Surely not an old trick from their chuunin days? Nonetheless, she pivoted on the spot, ducked, and pivoted again, just barely dodging three kunai thrown in strategic succession. Her body remembered the moves even though her mind didn't.

She almost smiled, but that was when a cry tore through her lips. Skidding to a stop in blind pain, she fell against a tree stump as she slid to the forest floor. Ayame couldn't help a yelp as her scrabbling fingers sought the fourth kunai thrown deeply into her arm. The same arm a previous injury had scarred.

The pain was excruciating, her old wound adding phantom flashes of pain. Mental and physical pain bombarded her, forcing Ayame to squeeze shut her eyes and wish, _wish_ that that it would just all end. Breathe deeply, her mind commanded, inhale and exhale, force the mind to be blank.

A thud sounded right in front of her, shattering the fragile control she had over controlling the pain. She openly winced, her pained eyes showing every ounce of hurt. Cracking open a teary eye, she registered the blurry form of Itachi towering over her.

"I really wonder." He mused aloud, his intelligent eyes locked with hers. "I really wonder what it must feel like to be so powerless." His glance was laced with condescension and scorn.

"Shut. Up." There wasn't much to say to Itachi's derision.

"When did you become such a pathetic pacifist?" he crouched down to her eye level, studying her. Dipping his fingers into the puddle of blood on the ground, he continued. "When did the sight of blood disgust you so?"

Shuddering at the deep baritone of his voice that held such a dripping amount of dark power, Ayame never felt so vulnerable. The flaring pain in her arm never ceased, and she used every bit of her willpower not to crack and break down into a complete mess.

"Violence is disgusting." And it was, to her. Why were humans born with that innate tendency? To destroy instead of minding their own business? What kind of satisfaction came from cold-hearted infliction of pain? "Fighting. Killing. Slaughtering. Are those the only things in this world that you thrive on?"

"Of course not." He hardly seemed affected by her enraged hiss. "There's plenty more. Women, drink, wealth. Worldly luxuries that are so easy to wrestle away from others."

Ayame just growled furiously.

"Tell me. The truth." The command was fierce and slightly vehement and Ayame was taken aback. Itachi's composure was slightly wavering, his fixed eyes looking harried.

"I.." She trailed off for a second. "It's none of your business! Leave me the hell alone!" But her mind was a whirl of thoughts. She felt confused and disoriented, unsure of herself now. The truth?

He advanced on her menacingly, his Sharingon swirling as the tadpole shaped commas chased each other in the pools of deep red. A finger touched her forehead, pushing her head back to bare her throat. A shimmery kunai was held there, held frighteningly close to her jugular. His unforgiving eyes said that he would really do it.

Ayame closed her eyes, a strange calmness washing over her. Itachi could do whatever the hell he liked. She was no closer to the truth than he was.

A sudden crashing noise had her eyes flying open. From the edges of the glade, Kisame barged in, his eyes frustrated as Gai and Kakashi pursued relentlessly. She registered wearily that Kakashi's sharingon was spinning rapidly, dilating accordingly whenever Kisame stuck back. Ugh. Those eyes. She would never be free of them.

"We've got to retreat, Itachi." Kisame's voice was controlled and firm, despite his hurried movements. "Leader called and I can't-" He winced as a single kunai skid across his ribs, "These pests are annoying." Snarling, he managed to fire off another water jutsu that momentarily gave him some space.

Itachi nodded quickly, and began to rise. Ayame's heart fluttered hopefully. Yes, it's ended. She could go home, cuddle up with a cup of tea, maybe read a book… His eyes flashed up to her face and her heart leapt into her throat. She hated that feeling, the way her hope and strength would so easily flee with a single cold look from Itachi. She hated how he made her so weak. He dropped the kunai, letting it slid from his grasp and land in her lap and nodded to her meaningfully.

"You're useless when you're weak." A second later he was gone, gone. The glade went nearly silent, save for the shallow breathing of the konoha nin. Left her there, weakened, with a bloody kunai. She nearly laughed. What did he expect her to do? Start training? Kill herself? Well she would do neither. Gripping her arm, she attempted to stand.

Kakashi was at her side in an instant, firmly taking hold of her and pulling her to her feet. Gai hovered anxiously, unable to help. "Ayame. Its okay. Ill bring you home." His head snapped up to face Gai. "Tell the Hokage. Jiaiyia needs to know they're on the move" The seriousness in his voice was a stark contrast to the indifferent and rather carefree Kakashi that she was more used to. She leaned against him heavily, and closed her eyes, allowing herself just the once to feel protected. Let someone else be the ninja, the big man and let her be the civilian that she so dearly wanted to be. Even as she wished, she could feel the awakened chakra under her skin, burning through her with a familiar tingly feeling, singing in her veins, focusing on her wound, and begging to be used.

Not for the first time, she denied the urge.

**-x-x-x-**

**LALALALALALALAA. I can't heeear you! I KNOW I'm rusty and this is a lame chapter and its really short, but…. Nvm. Blathering excuses, sigh, look at what ive become! D: **

**F&R **


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